The TEACH Grant (Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education) is a federal grant of up to $4,000 a year that helps students become teachers in high-need fields like math, science, special education, bilingual education, and reading. Unlike most financial aid, it does not require financial need. It requires a strong academic record, enrollment in an eligible teacher preparation program, and a signed commitment to teach for at least four years in a school that serves low-income students. If you break that commitment, the grant converts into a federal loan with interest charged back to the day you received the money.
What the TEACH Grant actually pays
The maximum TEACH Grant award is set by Congress at $4,000 per year, but federal budget sequestration has reduced that amount every year since 2013. For the 2026-2027 award year, the maximum grant is $3,772 per year, a 5.7% reduction from the full $4,000.
| Detail | Amount |
|---|
| Maximum annual award, 2026-2027 | $3,772 |
| Lifetime maximum, undergraduate or post-baccalaureate study | $16,000 |
| Lifetime maximum, graduate study | $8,000 |
| Need-based? | No. Based on academic merit and program enrollment |
| Repayment if service obligation is not met | Converts to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, with interest from each disbursement date |
Because the grant is not need-based, your family income, the FAFSA's Student Aid Index, and your tax filing status do not determine whether you qualify. You still have to file a FAFSA every year you want the grant, but only to establish basic federal aid eligibility (citizenship or eligible noncitizen status, not in default on a federal loan, and so on), not to prove financial need.
Who is eligible for a TEACH Grant
To receive a TEACH Grant, you must meet all of the following at a school that participates in the program:
- Complete the FAFSA for each award year you want the grant.
- Enroll in a TEACH Grant-eligible program. Your school designates specific undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or master's degree programs as TEACH Grant-eligible. Not every education program at a participating school qualifies, so confirm with your financial aid office before assuming your major is covered.
- Meet the academic requirement. You need either a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale, or a score above the 75th percentile on at least one section of a nationally normed college admissions or graduate admissions test (SAT, ACT, GRE, or similar). First-time applicants who have not yet established a GPA can qualify through the test score path.
- Plan to teach in a high-need field. Your coursework must prepare you to teach in one of the fields the Department of Education designates as high-need.
- Plan to teach at a school serving low-income students. The school or educational service agency must serve students from low-income families, as reflected on the Department's Teacher Cancellation Low Income (TCLI) Directory or an equivalent list.
- Complete TEACH Grant counseling on StudentAid.gov before each disbursement.
- Sign an Agreement to Serve or Repay for each year you receive the grant.
High-need fields that qualify
The Department of Education designates a specific set of subject areas as high-need. Your program of study has to prepare you to teach in one of these fields:
| High-need field |
|---|
| Bilingual education and English language acquisition |
| Foreign language |
| Mathematics |
| Reading specialist |
| Science (including computer science) |
| Special education |
| Any field listed on the Department's annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing |
That last category matters. States and school districts can add subjects to the Nationwide Listing based on local shortages, so a field that is not high-need nationally (elementary education in general, for example) can qualify if your state has listed it as a shortage area. Check your state's current entry on the Nationwide Listing, published annually by the Department, before assuming a subject does not count.
The service obligation: what you actually sign up for
In exchange for the grant, you agree to teach full-time as a highly qualified teacher for at least four complete academic years within eight years of finishing (or leaving) the program you received the grant for. Within that service:
- You must teach more than half of your classes in a designated high-need field.
- You must teach at an elementary school, secondary school, or educational service agency that serves students from low-income families.
- The four years do not have to be consecutive, but they must fall within the eight-year window.
- Each TEACH Grant you receive, for each academic year, comes with its own Agreement to Serve, signed separately.
| Timeline event | Requirement |
|---|
| Teaching window | Must complete 4 years of qualifying teaching within 8 years of finishing the program |
| Classes taught | More than 50% in a designated high-need field |
| School type | Elementary, secondary, or educational service agency serving low-income students |
| Documentation | Submit a Certification of Service form after each qualifying year |
You submit a Certification of Service form, signed by your school's chief administrative officer, after each year of qualifying teaching so the Department can track your progress toward the four-year requirement.
What happens if you do not complete the service obligation
This is the part that catches people off guard. If you do not teach as required, or if you stop reporting your progress, every TEACH Grant you received is converted into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Interest accrues retroactively from the date each grant was originally disbursed, not from the date of conversion. That means a grant disbursed four years earlier will already carry several years of accumulated interest by the time it converts to a loan.
Common reasons grants convert to loans:
- You change majors into a program that is not TEACH Grant-eligible.
- You graduate but take a job outside teaching, or outside a high-need field, or at a school that does not serve low-income students.
- You fail to submit your Certification of Service form on time.
- You do not complete the required four years of teaching within the eight-year window.
If your plans change, contact your loan servicer before a deadline passes. In limited circumstances, such as a documented medical condition, call to active military duty, or a total and permanent disability, the Department can extend the eight-year window or discharge the obligation. Reach out proactively rather than letting a grant convert by default.
How to apply for a TEACH Grant
- File the FAFSA. Use the current award year's FAFSA at studentaid.gov.
- Confirm your program is TEACH Grant-eligible. Ask your school's financial aid office which specific degree programs are designated, since eligibility is set at the program level, not the school level.
- Meet the academic threshold. Maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA, or document a qualifying standardized test score if you have not yet built a GPA.
- Complete TEACH Grant entrance counseling at studentaid.gov before your first disbursement. The counseling session explains the service obligation and the consequences of not meeting it.
- Sign the Agreement to Serve or Repay on studentaid.gov for the award year.
- Repeat counseling and the Agreement each year you receive a new TEACH Grant disbursement.
- Keep your contact information current with your loan servicer after graduation so you receive certification reminders and any required annual updates confirming your teaching status.
TEACH Grant vs. other teacher financial aid
| Program | Need-based? | Repayment risk | Best for |
|---|
| TEACH Grant | No | Converts to a loan if service obligation is not met | Students committed to teaching a high-need subject at a low-income school |
| Federal Pell Grant | Yes | None, it is a grant with no service requirement | Undergraduates with financial need |
| Perkins Loan Teacher Cancellation (legacy, limited availability) | No | Loan is cancelled in increments for qualifying teaching service | Borrowers with an existing Perkins Loan balance |
| Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) | No | Loans are forgiven after 120 qualifying payments while working for a qualifying employer | Teachers at public schools or nonprofit schools with existing federal loans |
| State-specific teacher loan forgiveness programs | Varies | Varies by state | Teachers willing to commit to a specific state's shortage areas |
A TEACH Grant and PSLF are not mutually exclusive. You can receive a TEACH Grant as a student, then separately pursue PSLF on any federal loans you take out, as long as you work for a qualifying public service employer after graduation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the TEACH Grant require financial need?
No. The TEACH Grant is not need-based. Your eligibility depends on your academic record (GPA or test scores), your enrollment in a designated high-need teacher preparation program, and your signed commitment to teach in a qualifying field and school. You still file a FAFSA each year, but only to confirm basic federal aid eligibility, not to demonstrate need.
What GPA do I need for a TEACH Grant?
You generally need a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. If you have not yet established a GPA, such as an incoming freshman, you can qualify instead with a score above the 75th percentile on at least one section of a nationally normed admissions test like the SAT, ACT, or GRE.
What counts as a high-need field for the TEACH Grant?
The core high-need fields are bilingual education and English language acquisition, foreign language, mathematics, reading specialist, science (including computer science), and special education. Additional fields can qualify if they appear on the Department of Education's annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing for your state.
What happens if I do not teach for four years after receiving a TEACH Grant?
Every TEACH Grant you received converts into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Interest is charged back to the date each grant was originally disbursed, so the loan balance can be larger than the grant amount you actually received by the time it converts.
Can graduate students get a TEACH Grant?
Yes. Students in eligible master's or post-baccalaureate teacher preparation programs can receive up to $3,772 per year for the 2026-2027 award year, with a lifetime maximum of $8,000 for graduate study, separate from the $16,000 undergraduate lifetime maximum.
Is the TEACH Grant the same as a loan?
Not if you meet the service obligation. It is a grant, meaning it does not need to be repaid, as long as you teach full-time in a designated high-need field at a school serving low-income students for at least four complete academic years within eight years of finishing your program. If you do not meet that obligation, it converts into a loan with interest.
How many years do I have to complete the teaching requirement?
You have eight years from the date you finish or stop being enrolled in the program you received the grant for to complete four years of qualifying teaching. The four years do not need to be consecutive.
Do I need to reapply for TEACH Grant counseling every year?
Yes. You must complete TEACH Grant counseling and sign a new Agreement to Serve or Repay on studentaid.gov before each disbursement, even in years after your first award.
